Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Middle Tennessee
10-8, 1-0
WKU
9-9, 0-1
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Holcombe, Tyler (2-2)
L: Ryan Thurston (2-2)
S: Huff, Drew (3)
Batting:
HR: Aucker, Aaron 1
RBI: Aucker, Aaron 1 ; Lopez, Manuel 2
SH: Huff, Drew 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Woodard, LA 1 ; Dennis, Austin 1 ; Aucker, Aaron 1
SB: Christian, Myles 1
Batting:
RBI: Colie Currie 1 ; Tyler Robertson 1
SF: Tyler Robertson 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jacob Rhinesmith 1 ; Steven Kraft 1
SB: Colie Currie 2
HBP: Tyler Robertson 1 ; Chase Larsen 1 ; Richard Constantine 1 ; Kevin Lambert 1
PO: Colin Butkiewicz 1
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
Blue Raiders win close one in opening game of conference play
3/16/2018 10:01:00 PM | Baseball
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – It took a home run by Aaron Aucker in the eighth inning to give the Blue Raiders a 3-2 victory in the pitcher's duel between Middle Tennessee (10-8, 1-0) and Western Kentucky (9-9, 0-1) in the opening game of conference play on Friday.
"A win to start the conference season on the road is huge," said head coach Jim McGuire.
Aucker's home run came at a time when the Blue Raiders needed it most. Middle Tennessee hadn't threatened to score since the 1st inning and even went on a stretch of 12 batters retired in order.
"Off the bat I knew I hit it pretty well but I started to question myself when I saw the left fielder going back on it," Aucker said.
Aucker also finished the game with two hits and multiple highlight worthy plays in the field.
On the mound for Middle Tennessee, LHP Jake Wyrick put together a solid start against the Hilltoppers. His only blemish came in the 1st inning when he gave up an RBI single to center field.
Wyrick settled in afterwards and finished with 4 strikeouts, giving up just 4 hits through 5 innings.
"When he gets dialed in he's really good," said McGuire. "We got him through five innings which is the most he's went this season."
Although Wyrick has yet to be the pitcher of record this season, the Blue Raiders have won all 5 games that he has appeared in this season.
Tyler Holcombe got the win in relief of Wyrick going 2.1 innings while Drew Huff picked up the save, giving up no hits and just one walk in 1.2 innings of work.
The designated hitter Manuel Lopez got the scoring started in the first inning with a single to left center that scored LA Woodard and Austin Dennis marking the seventh time that the Blue Raiders scored in the first inning.
The Blue Raiders look to take the series tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. Junior RHP Carson Lester is scheduled to start on the mound.
